Paid content unpopular in Arabia

08 June 2010

Young Arab people are unwilling to pay for online content despite regular news consumption, according to the latest findings from the Arab Free Press Forum.

Around 80% of school and university students aged 13- to 28-years-old in Lebanon, the UAE and Jordan said they spent time consuming news each day. However, 81% said they hadn’t completed an online transaction or used a credit card in the previous 30 days even though 86% had downloaded music in that period.

Print’s problems in keeping up with digital’s growth continued as TV proved the most popular format for consuming news with 80% followed by news websites’ 57%, compared with 49% for print newspapers. Those questioned also showed a high level of trust in their media sources, particularly online, with 30% stating they ‘very much trusted’ information with a further 53% saying they ‘somewhat trusted it’.

The report was launched by the American University of Beirut’s assistant professor of journalism and media studies, Jad Melki at the 4^th Arab Press Forum in Beirut, Lebanon.  At the same event, news site AmmanNet’s founder Daoud Kuttab said there were still plenty of issues hindering the progress of paid-for online content.

Kuttab blamed a reliance on advertising for the failure to establish good pay content models with media owner’s overly concerned about the withdrawal of money. He suggested delaying access to breaking news for non-subscribers as a way to encourage more subscriptions. 

Josh Colley, London